Patents by Inventor Toshiaki Tanigaki

Toshiaki Tanigaki has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20240021406
    Abstract: There is provided a phase-image processing apparatus and a phase-image processing method capable of highly accurately correcting a phase singularity included in a phase image. A phase-image processing apparatus that applies image processing to a phase image includes: a fringe pattern-creating unit that creates a plurality of fringe patterns based on a first interference fringe image corresponding to a first phase image including a phase singularity; a patch image-creating unit that creates a patch image based on the fringe pattern; an interference fringe image correcting unit that pastes the patch image to an area of the first interference fringe image corresponding to the phase singularity, corrects the first interference fringe image, and creates a second interference fringe image; and a phase image correcting unit that creates a second phase image from the second interference fringe image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2023
    Publication date: January 18, 2024
    Inventors: Yoshio TAKAHASHI, Tetsuya AKASHI, Toshiaki TANIGAKI
  • Publication number: 20230207258
    Abstract: An interference scanning transmission electron microscope includes an electron source configured to emit an electron beam, a lens configured to irradiate a sample with a converged electron beam, an electron beam bi-prism configured to divide an electron wave through the sample and to superimpose a first electron wave and a second electron wave divided to form an interference fringe, a camera which is a detector configured to detect the interference fringe, and a computer configured to calculate a phase difference between the first electron wave and the second electron wave based on the interference fringe, wherein the electron beam bi-prism is provided between the sample and the detector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2022
    Publication date: June 29, 2023
    Applicant: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshiaki TANIGAKI, Fumiaki ICHIHASHI
  • Patent number: 11011344
    Abstract: An interferometric electron microscope with increased irradiating electric current density which causes electron waves to interfere with each other and includes: an electron source; an irradiating lens system a focusing lens system an observational plane an artificial grating disposed between the electron source and the irradiating lens system and diffracting the electron beam emitted from the electron source to produce a first electron wave and a second electron wave; an electron beam biprism deflecting the first electron wave and the second electron wave to pass the first electron wave through the specimen for use as an object wave and to use the second electron wave as a reference wave; and an electron beam biprism in a focusing system deflecting the objective wave and the reference wave to superimpose the objective wave and the reference wave on the observational plane to produce an image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignees: HITACHI, LTD., RIKEN
    Inventors: Toshiaki Tanigaki, Tetsuya Akashi, Ken Harada
  • Patent number: 10872743
    Abstract: Continuous and automatic acquisition of electron beam holograms is made possible by using a sample holding mechanism that includes a sample end region that has a linear shape that is suited for electron beam holography, separates a thin-film rectangular window with an extreme-thin support film that supports a sample being disposed and a rectangular hole that has a linear-shaped edge and through which a reference wave is transmitted from each other, and configures a part of a layer that is thicker than the support film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Assignee: HITACHI, LTD.
    Inventors: Akira Sugawara, Yoshio Takahashi, Tetsuya Akashi, Toshiaki Tanigaki
  • Publication number: 20200273657
    Abstract: An interferometric electron microscope with increased irradiating electric current density which causes electron waves to interfere with each other and includes: an electron source; an irradiating lens system a focusing lens system an observational plane an artificial grating disposed between the electron source and the irradiating lens system and diffracting the electron beam emitted from the electron source to produce a first electron wave and a second electron wave; an electron beam biprism deflecting the first electron wave and the second electron wave to pass the first electron wave through the specimen for use as an object wave and to use the second electron wave as a reference wave; and an electron beam biprism in a focusing system deflecting the objective wave and the reference wave to superimpose the objective wave and the reference wave on the observational plane to produce an image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2020
    Publication date: August 27, 2020
    Inventors: Toshiaki TANIGAKI, Tetsuya AKASHI, Ken HARADA
  • Patent number: 10629410
    Abstract: An electron microscope that measures electromagnetic field information separates an electric field distribution and a magnetic field distribution of a specimen with high precision to measure the electromagnetic field information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: HITACHI, LTD.
    Inventors: Toshiaki Tanigaki, Akira Sugawara, Tetsuya Akashi
  • Publication number: 20190295817
    Abstract: An electron microscope that measures electromagnetic field information separates an electric field distribution and a magnetic field distribution of a specimen with high precision to measure the electromagnetic field information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2017
    Publication date: September 26, 2019
    Inventors: Toshiaki TANIGAKI, Akira SUGAWARA, Tetsuya AKASHI
  • Publication number: 20190027338
    Abstract: Continuous and automatic acquisition of electron beam holograms is made possible by using a sample holding mechanism that includes a sample end region that has a linear shape that is suited for electron beam holography, separates a thin-film rectangular window with an extreme-thin support film that supports a sample being disposed and a rectangular hole that has a linear-shaped edge and through which a reference wave is transmitted from each other, and configures a part of a layer that is thicker than the support film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2018
    Publication date: January 24, 2019
    Applicant: HITACHI, LTD.
    Inventors: Akira SUGAWARA, Yoshio TAKAHASHI, Tetsuya AKASHI, Toshiaki TANIGAKI
  • Patent number: 8853648
    Abstract: A sample holder for efficiently performing the processing or observation of a sample by means of charged particles while cooling. Particularly, disclosed is a sample holder whereby the processing or observation of a material which may be affected by the influence of heat damage can be performed in a state in which the material is cooled, and furthermore, the influence due to a sample processing method using charged particles can be reduced by cooling. The sample holder is provided with a sample stage capable of fixing a sample piece extracted from a sample by ion beam irradiation, and a rotation mechanism for rotating the sample stage in a desired direction, which can be attached to an ion beam device and a transmission electron microscope device, and which has a movable heat transfer material for thermally connecting the sample stage and a cooling source, and an isolation material for thermally isolating the sample stage and the heat transfer material from the outside.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuhira Nagakubo, Toshiaki Tanigaki, Katsuji Ito
  • Patent number: 8785851
    Abstract: In an interference electron microscope, a first electron biprism is disposed between an acceleration tube and an illumination-lens system, a mask is disposed between the acceleration tube and the first electron biprism, and the first electron biprism is arranged in a shadow that the mask forms. Current densities of first and second electron beams on a parabolic surface of an objective lens system where a sample is positioned are controlled by a control system by an optical action of the illumination-lens system, the mask is imaged on the parabolic surface of the objective lens system, and an electro-optical length between the first electron biprism and the parabolic surface of the objective lens where the sample is positioned is controlled without generating Fresnel fringes on a sample surface from the mask and the first electron biprism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignees: Hitachi, Ltd., Riken
    Inventors: Toshiaki Tanigaki, Shinji Aizawa, Tsuyoshi Matsuda, Ken Harada, Yoshio Takahashi
  • Patent number: 8772715
    Abstract: An electron beam device includes a first electron biprism between an acceleration tube and irradiation lens systems, and an electron biprism in the image forming lens system. The first electron biprism splits the electron beam into first and second electron beams, radiated to differently positioned first and second regions on an objective plane of an objective lens system having a specimen perpendicular to an optical axis. The first and second electron beams are superposed on the observation plane by the electron biprism of the image forming lens system. The superposed region is observed or recorded. Optical action of the irradiation lens system controls each current density of the first and second electron beams on the objective plane having the specimen, and distance on electron optics between the first electron biprism and the objective plane of the objective lens system having the specimen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignees: Hitachi, Ltd., Riken
    Inventors: Toshiaki Tanigaki, Shinji Aizawa, Tsuyoshi Matsuda, Ken Harada, Yoshio Takahashi
  • Patent number: 8729497
    Abstract: Provided is a sample device for a charged particle beam, which facilitates the delivery of a sample between an FIB and an SEM in an isolated atmosphere. An atmosphere isolation unit 10 for putting a lid 9 on an atmosphere isolation sample holder 7 isolated from the air and taking the lid 9 off the sample holder, is provided in a sample exchanger 5 that communicates with a sample chamber 4 of the FIB 1 or the SEM through a gate; and the lid 9 is taken off only by pushing a sample exchange bar 11, and thereby only the sample holder 7 is set in the sample chamber 4.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuhira Nagakubo, Toshiaki Tanigaki, Hideki Hirota, Katsuji Ito, Takayuki Asakawa
  • Publication number: 20130313432
    Abstract: In an interference electron microscope, a first electron biprism is disposed between an acceleration tube and an illumination-lens system, a mask is disposed between the acceleration tube and the first electron biprism, and the first electron biprism is arranged in a shadow that the mask forms. Current densities of first and second electron beams on a parabolic surface of an objective lens system where a sample is positioned are controlled by a control system by an optical action of the illumination-lens system, the mask is imaged on the parabolic surface of the objective lens system, and an electro-optical length between the first electron biprism and the parabolic surface of the objective lens where the sample is positioned is controlled without generating Fresnel fringes on a sample surface from the mask and the first electron biprism.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2013
    Publication date: November 28, 2013
    Inventors: Toshiaki TANIGAKI, Shinji AIZAWA, Tsuyoshi MATSUDA, Ken HARADA, Yoshio TAKAHASHI
  • Patent number: 8586922
    Abstract: A transmission electron microscope includes an electron gun 1 that irradiates a sample 5 with an electron beam 2; an electron detector 13 that detects electrons that are passed through the sample 5 and scattered; a first detection-side annular aperture 15 that is located between the electron detector 13 and the sample 5 and has a ring-shaped slit that limits inner and outer diameters of a transmission region of electrons scattered from the sample 5; and a second detection-side annular aperture 16 that is located between the first detection-side annular aperture 15 and the electron detector 13 and has a ring-shaped slit that limits inner and outer diameters of a transmission region of scattered electrons that have passed through the first detection-side annular aperture 15. It is, therefore, possible to detect electrons scattered at high scattering angles without a limitation caused by a spherical aberration of an electron lens and improve a depth resolution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Isao Nagaoki, Toshiaki Tanigaki, Yoshihiro Ohtsu
  • Publication number: 20130284925
    Abstract: An electron beam device includes a first electron biprism between an acceleration tube and irradiation lens systems, and an electron biprism in the image forming lens system. The first electron biprism splits the electron beam into first and second electron beams, radiated to differently positioned first and second regions on objective plane of an objective lens system having a specimen perpendicular to an optical axis. The first and second electron beams are superposed on the observation plane by the electron biprism of the image forming lens system. The superposed region of those electron beams is observed or recorded. Optical action of the irradiation lens system controls each current density of the first and second electron beams on the objective plane of the objective lens system having the specimen, and distance on electron optics between the first electron biprism and the objective plane of the objective lens system having the specimen.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2013
    Publication date: October 31, 2013
    Applicants: Hitachi, Ltd., RIKEN
    Inventors: Toshiaki TANIGAKI, Shinji AIZAWA, Tsuyoshi MATSUDA, Ken HARADA, Yoshio TAKAHASHI
  • Publication number: 20130193343
    Abstract: Provided is a sample device for a charged particle beam, which facilitates the delivery of a sample between an FIB and an SEM in an isolated atmosphere. An atmosphere isolation unit 10 for putting a lid 9 on an atmosphere isolation sample holder 7 isolated from the air and taking the lid 9 off the sample holder, is provided in a sample exchanger 5 that communicates with a sample chamber 4 of the FIB 1 or the SEM through a gate; and the lid 9 is taken off only by pushing a sample exchange bar 11, and thereby only the sample holder 7 is set in the sample chamber 4.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2011
    Publication date: August 1, 2013
    Inventors: Yasuhira Nagakubo, Toshiaki Tanigaki, Hideki Hirota, Katsuji Ito, Takayuki Asakawa
  • Publication number: 20130163076
    Abstract: Disclosed is a transmission interference microscope that provides a degree of freedom to a region being observed while obtaining pure transmission information, and obtains highly-accurate interference images at high magnification under optimized radiation conditions. An electron beam emitted from an electron source 1 is split by a biprism 11 positioned under a converging lens 3, and enters objective lenses 4 as an electron beam 6 passing through a sample and an electron beam 7 passing through a vacuum. The electron beams are bent at the front magnetic fields of the objective lenses 4, and are emitted as a collimated beam in a state in which the sample location and vacuum are each appropriately are left a space.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2011
    Publication date: June 27, 2013
    Inventors: Isao Nagaoki, Toshiaki Tanigaki
  • Patent number: 8426811
    Abstract: An electron microscope according to the present invention includes a phase plate (510) having a thickness which changes in a radial direction, and adjusts a phase difference caused by a difference in electron beam path due to an effect of a spherical aberration when an electron beam is converged by a lens or an image of the electron beam is formed. Accordingly, the phase difference caused by the difference in electron beam path is adjusted, to thereby improve the coherence, so that a phase contrast image of transmitted electrons can be obtained at a higher resolution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Isao Nagaoki, Toshiaki Tanigaki
  • Publication number: 20120235035
    Abstract: A transmission electron microscope includes an electron gun 1 that irradiates a sample 5 with an electron beam 2; an electron detector 13 that detects electrons that are passed through the sample 5 and scattered; a first detection-side annular aperture 15 that is located between the electron detector 13 and the sample 5 and has a ring-shaped slit that limits inner and outer diameters of a transmission region of electrons scattered from the sample 5; and a second detection-side annular aperture 16 that is located between the first detection-side annular aperture 15 and the electron detector 13 and has a ring-shaped slit that limits inner and outer diameters of a transmission region of scattered electrons that have passed through the first detection-side annular aperture 15. It is, therefore, possible to detect electrons scattered at high scattering angles without a limitation caused by a spherical aberration of an electron lens and improve a depth resolution.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2010
    Publication date: September 20, 2012
    Applicant: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Isao Nagaoki, Toshiaki Tanigaki, Yoshihiro Ohtsu
  • Patent number: D660335
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuhira Nagakubo, Toshiaki Tanigaki, Hideki Hirota, Takayuki Asakawa, Katsuji Itou